Oil-field-emulsion treating means



' May 8, 1928.

v "F. GARDNER 01 FIELDEMULSIQ TREATING MEANS Filed Abril 24. 1925 Ear/iGk/Wzev:

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Patented. May 8, 1928.

UNITED STATES FRANK GARDNER, 01 DALLAS, TEXAS.

OIL-FIELD-EMULSION TREATING MEANS.

Applieationfiled April 24, 1925. Serial No. 25,471.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in oil fieldemulsion treating means.

The object of the invention is to separate water from oil in a simple,expeditious and economical manner.

A particular object of the invention is to treat oil carrying emulsions,whereby the wfiater is precipitated and the oil is drawn 0 v Aparticular object of the invention is to heat the effluent prior toseparation, whereby the viscosity is reduced.

A further object of the invention is to retard the flow of the efiluentafter heating, whereby demulsification of the oil and water is assistedand the separation is accentuated.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafterdescribed together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily-understood from a reading of thefollowing specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings,and wherein:

The figure in the drawing illustrates an apparatus for carrying out theinvention.

In said drawing the numeral designates an elevated receiving tanksupported on a pedestal 11. A pipe 12 enters the top of the tank forconveying crude oil from the field to the tank. A bleeder valve 13 isprovided near the bottom of the tank for drawing of]? the water whichcollects there in. A drain pipe 14 isswiveled to the lower portion ofthe tank and by swinging the same down, the tank may be drained or itslevel lowered.

A skimming pipe 15 leads from the tank for carrying off the crude oil asit collects in the tank. The pipe 15 is connected to an elbow 16 whichin turn is connected to a down pipe 17. An upright pipe 18 having acut-off 20 leads from the elbow and supports a receptacle 19 adapted tocontain a,

. is such as-to retard the flow 0 suitable chemical or emulsion treatingcompound actin more separa le. The pipe 17 leads to a heater 21 where itis connected to the bottom of a coil 22.- A suitable oil burner 23 inthe bottom of the heater, heats the coil.

A conducting pipe 24 leads from the top of the coil to the bottom of anupri ht separator or filter 25 which in the oil'fie ds is known as a gunbarrel.; The gun barrel is formed of corrugated sections bolted to makethe oil and watertogether and with an upper bafile plate 26 and a lowerbaflle plate 27. These plates are perforated or foraminous and arespaced from the upper and lower ends of the gun barrel. A chamber 28 isformed in the barrel below the plate 27. The pipe 24 enters the saidchamber and has a spray head 29 thereon.

Between the baflle plates a filter is formed by fibrous material 30having sufficient density to retard the upward flow of the etlluentsprayed from the head A pipe 31 leads from the chamber 28 for thepurpose of drawing off the water which is separated from the oil. Adischarge pipe 32 leads from the upper portion of the barrel, below theplate 26, to a storage tank 34. The pipe 32 is provided with a vent 33to prevent siphoning.

The oil from the wells is pumped through the pipe 12 into the receivingtank 10. The heavier matter in the oil settles to the bottom of thetank, and the pipe 17 leading from the tank at an elevated point, thusskims oil the more fluent liquid. The efiluent which settles in the tankincludes a certain amount of free water, which is thus separated and maybe later drawn oil through the valve 13.

Some grades of oil require the assistance of a chemical to s6ften thewater and more readily undergo separation or dehydration; while otherrades of oil do not require such a chemical. here a chemical of thisnature is required, the same is stored in the tank 19 and introducedinto the pipe 17 by opening the valve 20.

The eflluent flows through the pipe 17 to the coil 22 of the heater. Theheating of the efiluent not only reduces its viscosity, but makesdehydration more rapid, The effluent or emulsion is sprayed from thehead 29 after passing from the coil through the pipe 24. The action inthe un barrel 25 theefiluent. Where the emulsion is combined with atreating chemical, the filter 30 will retard the flow to assistdemulsification of theoil andwater as well as cutting the free waterfrom the oil. *The effect is that the minute globules of water arecollected to overcome the viscosity of the oil thus precipitating to thechamber'28. Where a chemlcal is not used the water will precipitate intothe chamber 28 owing to the retardation of the filter 30. Ihe eflluentrising in the barrel 25 overflows through the pipe 32 to the tank 34, aspipeline oil;

What I claim, is: Means for treating crude oil comprising a settlingtank adapted to effect a primary separation of the oil from the water, awater discharge from said tank, a filter comprising a bottom watercollecting chamber and a filter section above said chamber, a

spray head in the water chamber, a conductor leading tling tank to thespray head feed by gravity thereto, a discharge pipe leading from theupper part of the filter section, a water draw-off leading from thechamber, and

vmeans for introducing a chemical into the conductor by a gravity feedat the discharge from the settling tank.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

FRANK GARDNER.

from the upper portion of the set-

